Ultrasound Technician Career Guide

Ultrasound technician, more commonly referred to as the diagnostic medical sonographer is responsible in making patient’s diagnosis with the use of sound waves from a special machine. This profession is becoming in demand in hospitals, clinics and diagnostics laboratories because in 2008 alone, the employment in this field reached 50,800 jobs. Let us review the different aspects of a career in diagnostic medical sonography.

Ultrasound Sonographer Job Description

Among the responsibilities of sonographer is to work with a physician in the diagnosis of the patient’s disease. He provides the best and the clearest image taken from either the internal organs or tissues for the final diagnosis and interpretation with the physician. Reading, calculating values and rendering initial/preliminary diagnosis of the patient’s disease are also the duties of ultrasound technicians. Keeping records of patients, maintaining the ultrasound equipment, managing ultrasound imaging department and working overtime are also included in the job description of diagnostic medical sonographers.

Training Requirements

Do You want to pursue a career as sonographer? Ideally, the first requirement is a background in algebra, natural sciences and basic physics. The usual time to accomplish a complete training is two years. There is also a four-year degree course, which will offer more stability when it comes to employment after school. Typical coursework will comprise of patient care, anatomy, medical ethics, physiology and medical ethics.

Among the specialized fields of sonography includes obstetric and gynecologic, abdominal, neurosonography, breast, vascular or c. Obstetric and gynaecologic sonography is about scanning and examining the female reproductive organ while abdominal sonography is concerned with the pancreas, spleen, gallbladder, liver, and kidneys. Nuerosonography is all about brain examination, breast sonography deals with the tissues inside the breast and cardiac sonography deals with the heart.

Complete ultrasound training can be obtained in several accredited school and universities. There are also trainings provided in vocational technical training institutes. In 2003, the Commission on Accreditation for Allied health Education Programs passed 100 programs for accreditation in the field of ultrasound sonography.

After completing the training, there are options of whether to take exams to be licensed, although it is not required for some states to be a licensed. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, sonographers can have higher salaries if licensed. The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography will issue professional license following the completion of the full training in accredited schools.

Before applying as sonographer in a certain hospital, make sure to know the state rules regarding the state requirement of professional license by sonographers. According to the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (www.sdms.org), New Mexico and Oregon are requiring licensed from ARDMS but some states will not require state license or professional license to be accepted as sonographer.

Salary and Benefits

The demand for sonographers in the future will be increased by hospitals and there will be an increased employment rate for doctor’s clinic and diagnostic laboratories because of the advancement in technology, which will bring more affordable mobile devices. Moreover, medical insurances will expand coverage in different sonography examinations. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the employment for sonographers will increase from average to be faster in 2012.

Getting a career in ultrasound technology is a wise decision since it only requires a short period of time for studying unlike other medical courses, which requires student to spend at least four years in college. Decide on the accredited university now and enroll in the programs to achieve a training and expertise as ultrasound technician.